Hollywood hands out Oscars early

Last update: November 14, 2009 - 10:26 PM

Blame it on Bernie: The 92-year-old actress' lawyer blames convicted swindler Bernard Madoff for a hefty tax bill owed by his client. The IRS has filed a lien of more than $118,000 for the years 2001 and 2002 against Gabor.

Last to know: The former V.P. candidate says she didn't know her daughter Bristol was sexually active before she learned the teenager was pregnant. Palin told ABC's Barbara Walters: "Truthfully, we were devastated."

The Academy Awards won't be presented until March, but the first Oscars of the season were being handed out Saturday night at a private black-tie dinner in Hollywood.

Actress Lauren Bacall, below, producer-director Roger Corman, left, and cinematographer Gordon Willis were set to receive the Oscar statuettes at the inaugural Governors Awards event.

The winner of this year's Irving J. Thalberg Memorial Award producer is John Calley. Each of the four recipients were chosen by the academy's Board of Governors.

Annette Bening, Tom Hanks, Kirk Douglas, Anjelica Huston and Quentin Tarantino were tabbed to be presenters. Taped excerpts will be shown during the annual Academy Awards on March 7.

ASSOCIATED PRESS

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